Improvement in bee-hives



- viu'itrd tatta @anni @Mitre ARTHUR BnAnsnAw,-or sauront, iLLiivois.

Letters Patent No. 111,310, dated January 31, 1871.

N IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-Hives.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may conce/rn Be it'lrnown that I, ARTHUR BnADsHAw, of Ianf toul,in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bee- Hives; and 'I do hereby-declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof; suiceut to enable those skilled in the art toA which my inven- `tion' appertains to fully understand and to make and struction ofthe comb-frames and honey-boxes, and inv the partition between Vthe boxes and.A frames.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination ot' parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

. In the drawing- A represents the outer 'box or hive, made, by preference, in rectangular form, as shown, and provided With'a base or bottom, B, extending beyond the ends a a.

C is the cover, adapted to tit over the upper edge of the box.

The sides l) b of the'hivc may be beveled at the top, on the-inside, as represented.

D D are the comb-frames or sash suspended with in the' box by their projecting ends, which rest upon the upper edge of the parts a a.

E E are the honey-boxes, placed on cud at. the side ofthe hive, and separated from Ythe comb-frames by a partition-board, F, which is made removable for a purpose to bc hereinafter"described.

In each end of the bcxA is .an opening, which serves the double purpose of an entrance and ventilator. These openings are cach provided with a rcmovable covering of wire-gauze, c"c.

The openings are not in line with each other, but one, c, is opposite the honey-boxes, while the other communicates with the space occupied with the combframes.

The object of this arrangement is to prevent the becs from entering the honey-boxes before they have filled the frames, the entrance c being closed and the partition-board placed as shown for this purpose.

The gauzeccoverings may be placed over-the entrances at any time to exclude robber-s. Theyare intended to be always used after working-time, to prevent millers from entering. Even when the entrances are closed sufficient air will pass through to' freely ventilate` the hives.

The comb-frames are constructed with cross-bars d, so secured as to be readily detached and adjusted up and down.

l This is au important feature, for the reason-that in` l transferring comb, young brood, and honey-comb from another hive, the bars (l .can be adjusted to' support either a large or small piece of comb.

Before putting in a new swarm of becs .the bars d are to be secured at the upper part of the sash, so as to secure straight comb.

The partition F is simply a thin piece of wood,rof the same length and depth as the-interior of the hive. Its use, as above referred to, is this: In the position in which it is represented lin the drawing it prevents the bees from building in thehoney-'boxes before they havelled the comb-frames. Another use, when placed V inthe center of the hive, is to form two separate conipartments in the fall, so as to winter over two queens in each hive.` v lhe honey-boxes, as shown in iig.' 3, are constructed with solid ends and sides, while the front and back are providedl with slatsc f f. This construction is not only cheap and durable, but I have found that 4bees will work in them more readily` than in those of other makes. v

The sashes can ali be removed, with their contents, to a small frame, the hive cleansed, and the bees restored in a few minutes, thus preventing the mothsand other intruding insects from doing any damage.

I do not claim, broadly, a part of the hive; neither do I claim, specially, the placing of the entrances ont of 'line with leach other; but

Having thus described my invention, That I claim as new, and desire to Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the slatted honey-boxes iu one end of the hive,'and resting endwise ou the bottom thereof, with relation to the 'comb-frames, movable secure by partition, andentrances, all as herein set forth, fo'r i the purposes specified.

lo the above specification I have signed' my name this 11th day of A ugust, 1870, in the presence of thc two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR BRADSHAW. Witnesses:

E. W. SMITH, DAVID GAnTN-nn.

partition in the lower l 

